sunday in new york

the year: 1964

the genre: comedy


the cast: Jane Fonda (Eileen Tyler); Rod Taylor (Mike Mitchell); Cliff Robertson (Adam Tyler); Robert Culp (Russ Wilson); Jo Morrow (Mona Harris); Jim Backus (Chief Pilot Drysdale)


the plot: Eileen is 22 and is smarting from her breakup with Russ. She comes to New York to visit her brother, Adam, who is an airline pilot. Eileen decides to see if she can have some fun for herself in New York, and seems to find the perfect candidate in Mike, a man she meets on the bus. But things get complicated when Russ pops in with a proposal and a mistaken assumption.


don't miss: Robert Culp as the obtuse Russ - quite a switch from his savvy role in I Spy.


watch for: how Eileen "snags" Mike on the 5th Avenue bus.


count: how many missed connections occur between Adam and his girlfriend.


also don't miss: dinner with Eileen, Russ, Mike (who Russ think's is Andy, her brother), and Andy (who Russ thinks is Mike).

the pelican brief

the year: 1993

the genre: suspense


the cast: Denzel Washington (Gray Grantham); Julia Roberts (Darby Shaw); Sam Shepard (Thomas Callahan); Robert Culp (President); Stanley Tucci (Khamel); John Lithgow (Smith Keen); Hume Cronyn (Justice Rosenberg)


the plot: Two Supreme Court Justices have been assassinated. One law student has stumbled upon the truth. An investigative journalist wants her story. Everybody else wants her dead.



watch for: the very talented Stanley Tucci as Khamel. I *much* prefer him as Muerte/Morty in Undercover Blues (which, incidentally, came out the same year) but this definitely shows his versatility.



check out: the subtle reference to Jimmy Carter addressing the nation in a cardigan during the height of the fuel shortages in the 1970s.



did you know: John Grisham wrote the part of Darby Shaw with Julia Roberts in mind. Roberts read the book once it was finished and agreed to the role without even seeing a script.



listen for: "Any of those signs got my name on 'em?" "Quite a few." "What do they say?" "The usual: Death to Rosenberg, Retire Rosenberg, Cut off the oxygen." [laughs]"That's my favorite."


extra bonus points: if you know how many times Victor Mattiece, the main villain, appears in the film.



disclaimer: there are brief episodes of violence, but listen to the music and you'll be able to figure out when to close your eyes.